Reign reserves find scoring touch, rout Haiti in exhibition

TUKWILA — Reign FC didn’t appear to be the team that had been goal-less since May 16 nor the team that was without five of its top players as it hosted the Haitian national team in an exhibition game Sunday at Starfire Stadium.

Though the Haitians didn’t match the caliber of Seattle’s NWSL opposition, the Reign managed to find the net for the first time in three matches and downed Haiti 6-0.

The depleted Reign fielded a shell of the lineup that fans may see in about a month’s time, one that was missing Hope Solo, Kaylyn Kyle, Emily Zurrer, Tiffany Cameron and Megan Rapinoe. Solo is finishing up rehabilitation of a wrist injury, while Kyle, Zurrer and Cameron spent the day on international duty, representing Canada in a friendly against the United States. Rapinoe is expected to return in late June after her stint with Lyon in France.

But on Sunday, the Reign’s substitutes and reserve-team players put on the show against Haiti.

Midfielder Lindsey Taylor notched a hat trick while reserve Kenya Cordner, a Tobago native, scored once and drew a penalty kick in the 54th minute that led to Seattle’s first goal.

Cordner was pulled down in the penalty area after beating her defender, and Taylor slid the ensuing penalty kick past Haiti’s Geralda Saint Louis.

“I knew that, first half, physically and mentally they would be able to match us,” Reign coach Laura Harvey said. “Second half, I thought Kenya was excellent when she came on … When you have someone as quick as she is and when you’re tired, she’s probably the last person you want to be brought on when she has fresh legs.”

Fatigue was indeed an issue for the Haitians, and it didn’t help that Frantczia Francois was ejected in the 69th minute after receiving her second yellow card. Manoucheka Pierre-Louis was issued a straight red card in the 86th minute.

Liz Bogus and Kristina Larsen also had goals for the Reign.

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Seattle returns to league play Sunday, when it will host FC Kansas City at 7 p.m. at Starfire.

Notes

• The NWSL issued Reign FC an undisclosed fine Friday for comments critical of referee Margaret Domka after a 1-0 loss to Portland on May 25. Harvey, Seattle’s general manager and coach, told reporters the referees were “a joke,” though a review committee deemed that a penalty kick awarded by Domka to the Thorns, which resulted in the winning goal, was given in error.

• Solo will appear in next Sunday’s match against FC Kansas City, Harvey said. Solo has played just one match with the team since returning from her wrist injury. • Kyle, Zurrer and Cameron all saw action in Sunday’s friendly between Canada and the United States. Zurrer started, while Kyle and Cameron came on as substitutes in the second half of Canada’s 3-0 loss.